The seventh segment in an eight-part unit promotes the idea of concentrating the sun to increase the power of a photovoltaic panel. Pupils learn about devices used such as reflectors or lenses.

How much energy does it take to light a room? Class members calculate the total wattage it takes to light the classroom. Through calculations, responsible scientists determine the cost of energy for the year, then figure out...

What does it cost to keep the lights on? Through a hands-on activity, class members use a watt meter and determine the amount of energy different types of light bulbs use. The class then determines the financial and environmental...

Why is there more daylight in June than in December if you live above the equator? How does the angle of sunlight shift throughout the year? Answer these questions and more with an interactive article about the sun, its path through the...

All chemical reactions require energy. To explore thermodynamics, classes read and discuss its laws, exothermic and endothermic reactions, enthalpy in many forms, calculate enthalpy problems, and use Hess' Law to calculate enthalpy of a...

Radioactive pollutants can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, absorption, or injection. The last lesson in a series of 36 introduces pupils to radioactive pollution. They study its sources, both natural and man-made, its...

An informative physics lesson includes two teacher demonstrations, one on AC currents and the other on DC currents, allowing pupils to take notes while watching. The resource includes questions to assign as homework or...

Don't sacrifice physical activity every time cold winter weather arrives. From walking or circuit training to warm, healthy recipes and safety reminders, this resource will help encourage learners to prioritize their fitness and stay...

What is light energy? Here we'll learn about the properties of light and how pigments such as chlorophylls absorb light energy.

Article explores the light-dependent reactions as they take place during photosynthesis in plants. Traces how light energy is used to make ATP and NADPH and explains photosystems and electron transport chains.

Light is a form of energy. We see it in many different forms all around us. It's the sunlight that pours through your bedroom window and wakes you up. Images and in-depth information on light can all be accessed in this article.

Discusses photovoltaic energy systems and their many applications, e.g., in telecommunications, consumer products, space technology, solar lights, etc.

Discussion of the conversion of light energy to chemical energy through the life-sustaining process of photosynthesis. Explores the reactions of photosynthesis, where they take place, and their ecological importance.

Read about all the different kinds of potential and kinetic energy. Includes energy formulas and examples of energy applications.

Explains what is meant by kinetic energy and demonstrates how to use the formulas for a point mass moving at less than the speed of light, for rotational motion, and for a mass moving at a relativistic speed. Includes interactive...

What is energy? Article provides a brief discussion of the many different forms of energy.

What is light? Illustrated discussion of the speed of light, how we see colors, and how light helps us.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] This study guide summarizes key points about the energy we receive from the Sun. Includes a few questions to check for understanding.

Discusses the interaction between light energy and atoms of matter. Explains Einstein's photoelectric effect and discusses its application to lasers. Includes an interactive Java applet depicting the interaction between a photon and an...

A profile of Thomas Alva Edison, who lived from 1847 to 1931, an American who made many important inventions, such as the electric light bulb. A timeline of his inventions is provided here.

A collection of several pages explaining the principles which underlie Rayleigh scattering of light.

Information about the element, Thorium, atomic number 90. Covers physical properties, atomic properties, how abundant it is on the Earth, where it is found, and details about health-related regulations. Discusses thorium's potential use...

What is electromagnetic radiation and how does it work? Review a captioned graphic that explains electromagnetic radiation and the visible and invisible types of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum.

This site from Architectural Acoustics and Lighting provides a discussion of various factors affecting the acoustics of a given room. Room dimensions, the wavelength of the sound wave, the physical characteristics of the walls, the...